Manoalide, from the marine sponge Luffariella variabilis (POLEJAEFF) has been reported by E. D. de Silva and P. J. Scheuer; Tetrahedron Letters Vol. 21, pp 1611-1614 Pergamon Press Ltd. 1980. The structure of this compound is as follows: ##STR1##
Seco-manoalide is described in E. D. DeSilva and P. J. Scheuer, Tetrahedron Letters Vol. 22, pp 3147-3150 (1980). Dehydro-seco-manoalide is obtained from the above-identified marine sponge and is recovered from the fraction slightly less polar than and preceding manoalide.
Manoalide is a non-steriod and it has now been discovered to be an anti-inflammatory and analgesic agent. Its potency has been found to be greater than that of indomethacin and its site of action in the inflammatory process is different from that of indomethacin. While it is less potent than hydrocortisone, manoalide possesses a pharmacological spectrum different from the glucocorticoids. Uses include treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, rheumatic carditis, collagen and/or auto-immune diseases such as myasthenia gravis, allergic diseases, bronchial asthma, and ocular and skin inflammatory diseases. Manoalide appears to be devoid of the endocrine properties of the glucocorticoids yet still appears anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive. As such, it may also be useful as adjuvant therapy associated with organ and tissue transplants and any neurological disease involving metabolism of nervous tissue phospholipid such as multiple sclerosis. Because of its selective antagonism of chemical irritation (i.e. PMA inflammation) and the fact that it prevents the paralytic action of .beta.-bungarotoxin, manoalide can be useful in the treatment of venoms such as certain snake and insect bites, bee or wasp stings or any venom in which a major constituent is the enzyme phospholipase A.sub.2. Since manoalide blocks oxazolone induced inflammation this compound would be useful in treating forms of allergic contact dermatitis (such as poison oak or poison ivy).
Accordingly, it is believed that this invention makes a significant advance in the pharmaceutical arts.